Elf in the Maldives

03-02-2012, 11:47 PM

How does everyone think the El Fuego would go in the Maldives? I'm 6'5, 90 kg, 42yo and intermediate. I already have a 6'8 Dom which I really like (I know I could have gone smaller) and was thinking about a 6'5 Elf as my second board. I would get a Hellfire but I think I'll get more use out of the Elf in my home waves.

If you are happy with your 6'8" Dom you will really like the EF 6'5" for the Maldives and back home for anything from 1-6ft waves, I am 105kgs and used to have the 6'5" EF now i have a 6'6" Hellfire which has less floatation however it serves its purpose in good waves not sure if its better than the EF. One thing about the EF get it with fututes and you must ride it with Future controllers I tried other fins and they did not offer the versatility of one fit set suits all conditions. By the way you could get a 6'3" EF for your weight.

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I'm almost exactly your size (and age). I went with a 6'3". I also surf in a full 5mm wetsuit. You might consider going that couple of inches shorter. The board still paddles incredibly well and has tons of float. Mine is FCS, so I have never tried Controllers, but the H3 Nexus matches up nicely with the board.

A 6'8" Dom is HUGE! I held a 6'6" and it felt a bit like an aircraft carrier to me. What I like about the ElF is that it goes so well in smaller surf. You really dont need perfect waves to have a fantastic session. It is really responsive and fast, so once you get the drop nailed down (watch that flatter rocker!) it will go like mad even in hollow surf.

good stuff gnubee. Yeah in general, the El Fuego is great AND you can ride it with less volume than the dominator for sure! I use the 508 dominator which is 31.0L and the 509 el fuego which is 28.6L. I find I can ride them both in the same conditions due to the front half go the fuego, plus the tail is nice and pulled in so you can get a bit of performance out of it. great barrel board in overhead waves or smaller. super fast.

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Hey everyone, I got a 6'5 El Fuego!! It arrives tomorrow. Got it from the Firewire Factory in Currumbin on the sale rack for a sensational price. Really stoked and a big shout out to Chris up there in the warehouse who helped me out big time. Absolute bargain. Can't wait to get it in the water.

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Hey STC67, the Elf has been going sensationally well mate. To be honest I haven't been back on the Dominator since getting it! It really is a very versatile board. I could try and explain how it goes, but if you read through Nev's old posts on the Dominator Forum, he describes it perfectly. If you like surfing with your weight more on the front foot, then you will love it. Very fast, very responsive and heaps of fun to ride. I'm certainly glad I got one and can't wait to get it to the Maldives in a few months.

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Yeah STC definitely feels a bit smaller to paddle than the Dom, but I don't struggle at all to catch waves on it. Probably the flatter rocker helps and the 6'5 still packs plenty of volume. Gets you in nice and early too, so the flat rocker doesn't cause too many heart aches (meaning nose dives!!). Great board mate, demo one if you can.